Indiana-Penn State B1G men’s soccer opener

FINAL: PENN STATE 1, INDIANA 0: IU keeper Colin Webb, up front for an extra body in the PSU box in final seconds, kicks it into the side netting just before time expires. Indiana’s first loss of the season a tough one, as the Hoosiers had most of the play and generated a lot of chances only to come up empty. Indiana finished with 20 shots to Penn State’s 6.

Penn State moves to 4-0-1 and 1-0 in the league and the Hoosiers are 3-1-1 and 0-1.

PSU’s Mason Klerks got the game’s lone goal with a spectacular strike from just outside the 18 off a corner-kick at the 26:11 mark.

1:30 to play. Great right-foot to left-foot step over by Vollmer and lefty rocket barely misses the upper left corner. Maybe IU’s last gasp.

12:46: Femi with a 15-yard blast that sails high. IU getting some space but can’t get long-range shots down.

14:47 to play: Indiana’s Billy McConnell with a redirect in the box, but it hammers right into the gut of Penn St. keeper Evan Finney.

22:00 to play: Vollmer in on net for IU but sliding tackle creates a Hoosier corner. Then IU’s Webb makes great sliding save off his line to thwart PSU counter that created a 1-v-keeper chance. Still 1-0 Penn State.

26:10. Indiana’s Billy McConnell barely misses wide left in close off a chip feed from Patrick Doody. Still 1-0 Penn State.

26:45 to play. Jamie Vollmer lead nearly redirected in by Andrew Oliver, who flashed into box. Hoosiers continuing to press.

Still no scoring in the second half here at Armstrong. PSU up 1-0, and Indiana still having most of the play with 31:00 left in regulation. IU has already earned three corners this half and has generated chances. Tanner Thompson got into the box at the 36:10 mark but his cross was cleared.

HALFTIME: Penn State 1, Indiana 0. The host Hoosiers out-shot PSU, 7-3, and had most of the play, but the Nittany Lions lead off a tremendous shot from sophomore defensive midfielder Mason Klerks 26:11 into the match.

FIRST HALF:

3:00: IU’s Patrick Doody over 2 defenders with a header into the side netting. Hoosiers still pushing forward well.

12:33: IU’s Jack Griffith barely high and wide right with a blast just outside the 18. Hoosiers responding strongly to the PSU goal.

18: 54: PSU GOAL: Mason Klerks spectacular strike just beyond the 18 off a corner-kick. It was the second successive corner for the Nittany Lions, who played it deep and got a great shot from Klerks into the upper left corner of the net. It ended the Hoosiers’ three-match shutout streak, but keeper Colin Webb had no real chance to stop it.

33:37: Hoosiers getting most of the play early. PSU keeping 11 behind the ball right now. Femi header went high at 33:37.

35:00: IU’s Patrick Doody has to leave the pitch to change shoes, so Hoosiers playing down a man temporarily.

PREGAME: Indiana, after a tough football day, will try its hand at another type of “footy” now, hosting Penn State in the B1G men’s soccer opener tonight.

The soccer Hoosiers are wearing new candy-stripe fronted home jerseys. I will let folks make up their own minds about those.
Both teams come in unbeaten at 3-0-1.
PSU is without goalie Andrew Wolverton and striker Mark Wadid, both red-carded in Monday’s tie against James Madison.
We’ll be tweeting updates @htograham, and will blog here.

Big 50-year Indiana soccer reunion evening at Bill Armstrong Stadium, with about 75 former players and family members being honored at half.